The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-05-08
AN INSURANCE SUIT.
Isadore Cohen Tries TO Recover
$4,000 For Fire

The suit of Isadore Cohen against the
Factors and Traders and the Rochester Jones
Fire Insurance Companies was resumed in
the United States Circuit Court yesterday
The plaintiff sues for $4,000,
the amount Of two policies.
One Sunday morning about a year
ago Cohen's store, on West Boundary street,
beyond the Central railroad bridge over the
Louisville road, was burned He had his
stock insured for SO 800, but the companies
refused to pay more than $500. Cohen in
PRODUCED bills Yesterday amounting to
81 900 for merchandise alleged to have been
purchased by him during the seventy
three DAYS he was in business
before the fire. He testified
that during that time his receipts at the
store were only 800 in cash, and he claimed
that he did not do credit business. The
rest of the goods that were put in the store
were burned, he stated.
1t appeared from the evidence that the
plaintiff was running two stores, the one
that was burned and one on Jeffer-
son street, adjoining H. Gabel's
store. The jefferson street establish
ment was run under the firm name of E.
Cohen & Co. There was door between
that store and Gabel's, and Gabel was the
company. 1t further appeared that the
largest bill for goods purchased for the West
Boundary street store was obtained from h.
Gabel Nearly all of the other bills were
made out to H. Gabel for E. Cohen. These
bills represented goods that were bought in
the city from different dealers
e. Cohen testified that on the night of the
fire he was at his Jefferson street store until
1890 o'clock and was not at the other store
at any time Saturday night or Sunday
morning.
The defense put up Andrew jackson
(colored), formerly porter for the plaintiff.
This witness testified that he had on several
occasions before the fire carried away boxes
of clothing from the West Boundary street
store to Gabels store The witness swore
that the stock in the former store was quite
small at the time of the fire.
Adam Brown (colored) gave the impress
sion from his manner on the stand that he
fully appreciated the exalted and dignified
privilege of being a witness in the United
States Court He kept an eating house next
door to Cohen's West Boundary street store.
Adam said that on the night of the fire he
had kept his place open very late for
the accommodation of belated and
hungry passers who might want to stop for
"a snack" At2 o'clock in the morning,
while sitting on his doorsteps he heard quite
a noise in the adjoining store. At first he
thought perhaps burglars were trying to get
get H. In few minutes, though, ne saw
the door open and Cohen came out The door
was locked and Cohen walked off hurriedly
toward the railroad culvert. As he passed
the restaurant the witness spoke, saying
''Howdy, Mr. Cohen" The latter replied,
and went on Brown went to bed directly
afterward and had just about sunk into a
sweet slumber when he was disturbed by
some one pounding on his door and calling
to him to get up unless he wanted
to be cremated. Gabel gave him S. last
August to keep quiet and say nothing about
what he had seen The witness said that he
was continually urged not to talk, and he
was told that when the insurance money was
obtained he would be satisfied
City Marshal R. J. Wade, who visited the
store week before the fire to collect the
specifix tax, testified that he did not believe
that there was more than 800 worth of
goods in the store at the time.
Chief Adolph Fernandez testified that he
snelled kerosene very plainly at the time of
the fire. The plaintiff explained that there
was barrel of kerosene in the store at the
time of the fire.
Pending the further examination of wit
nesses by the defense, the court adjourned
until tomorrow morning.